The Brighton Magazine

Selected Brighton Magazine Article

For many a night at the dogs or a flutter at the bookies is just a bit of harmless fun, but for the dogs used by the greyhound racing industry there is much more at stake.

Cosmetics Firm Urge 'Don't Bet On It'

It is estimated that thousands of retired greyhounds go 'missing' from the industry every year and most of them are presumed dead, no longer useful or profitable to their owners.

The greyhound industry is said by some to have a lot to be ashamed of. Thousands of greyhound puppies are killed every year because they are too slow or shy for the tracks.

Dogs that do become racers face an uncertain retirement when they become too slow at the age of four or five.

An Associate Parliamentary Working Group report estimated that at least 4,728 dogs disappear from the tracks every year and that the majority of them are slaughtered.

Although the Greyhound industry gives £1.7 million toward the rehoming of ex-racing dogs, this does not excuse, explain or cover even half of what it would cost to rehome the missing dogs.

Tony Peters, co-founder of Greyhound Action, a group campaigning against greyhound racing commented:

"The greyhound racing industry is in decline, and we are convinced that when people learn about the death and neglect facing racing dogs even more stadiums will close due to poor attendance."

Greyhound dogs are dying to entertain punters, literally. Because dogs are running at high speeds around tight bends, injuries and collisions are commonplace.

Thirty dogs were euthanised at Belle Vue track in Manchester in 2009 alone, due to injuries they picked up from the track. Sadly, when many greyhounds are no longer profit making they are killed.

At Lush Cosmetics, 41 East Street, Brighton, they like backing the underdogs, which is why, all 85 of their British shop fronts will be emblazoned with the words 'Don't Bet On It' underneath a giant image of racing greyhounds

Lush feel that most of the problems associated with the industry come down to the nearly £2.5 billion in bets being placed annually, and with that sort of money at stake the lives and well-being of the dogs inevitably suffer.

Lush Campaigns Manager Sean Gifford said:

"The greyhound industry treats dogs as profit making machines, but we see them as sensitive, intelligent animals that deserve better.

"There are a lot of people who love and care for greyhounds, and we are sure they will support our calls for the end to an industry which has failed to look after its animals."

The awareness campaign will feature in-store leaflets, a special web-site, and recently ex-racing greyhounds visited the shop to show the public how warm, affectionate and adoptable these lovely animals can be.

Lush customers were also invited to join in their 'Human Race', where the participants will competed against each other in silly foot races to win prizes.

Each racer wore a large racing number, 4,728, with the word 'missing' printed on it to highlight how greyhound dogs are the real losers at the tracks.

Brighton-based musician, promoter and studio owner, Stuart Avis, recently sat down with Steve Hackett, who, as one fifth of Genesis during their 1970's prime prog phase, has gone on to build himself a reputation as one of rock's leading and most innovative guitarists.

The Ballad of Johnny Longstaff is the story of one man's adventure from begging on the streets in the north of England to fighting against fascism in the Spanish Civil War, taking in the Hunger Marches and the Battle of Cable Street.

In 1978, after having sold millions of records and become one of the biggest international artists of the 1970s, Cat Stevens decided to step out of the rock star spotlight and walk away. That year, he was to release his final album under that name.

Creators of stage showWild, Laura Mugridge and Katie Villa, want us to think about that thing we have all been through, but very few of us talk about, through a bold, riotous and strikingly visual show.

Brooklyn-based band Air Waves' new album, Warrior, is about being a Warrior in a queer body in this political climate, lead-singer Nicole Schneit's mother being a Warrior fighting chemotherapy, and being a Warrior in relationships.

Written just a year apart, Lone Star in 1979, Laundry & Bourbon in 1980, the plays share the same setting, themes and connected characters and, not surprisingly, are usually presented on the same bill.